Holmes_and_Watson

Agree with that. The success at various levels of the club is definitely a consideration and selling point. Also being able to show that straight, early path into the senior squad is also something special, continuing that perception of the club. It's a good place for the club to be, in that respect, at the moment.

Meanwhile on Earth-R: PSG Coach Ralph, drops Messi. "His lack of tallness in defending corners, makes him a liability. I'm baffled how he has managed to get picked for all these years," said the innovator of Ralph Ball.

Great to hear he's giving his all not just on the pitch, but in everything he does. Top attitude, and hopefully there's enough talent to go with it for him to come through. On an unrelated note, there's a signed Simeu shirt on eBay... 🙂🙂

True, and another indicator of the many, non skill related, issues that impact team selection. Ballard has signed a contract. So he could get a nod. It would also be a further incentive to the others to sign once they are old enough too. Sibling etc. The academy part of the Pathway hasn't shown anything this season in terms of the first team squad. Ideally, we'd have liked a couple more points on the board before bringing in younger players. But it's a big bench, and could bring him on if thing are going well (for a recent change).

Could both be true? Offered last summer going into his final year. Probably on significantly lower terms, as he wasn't being considered as undisputed first choice. He rejected that. Now, the club haven't offered him anything concrete, despite some rumblings, making the tweets also accurate. Just a thought.

Then could well be McCarthy, Caballero and Gunn Mk II (possibly cheaper, and hopefully more impactful) for next season. Unless someone bids for McCarthy. Forster would get in the team ahead of the first 2, so back to the recruitment team to bring a gem in. He was decent enough cover, and gives us someone at a reliable level, if the recruitment doesn't work out. I also note a massive shortage of keepers in coaching roles at the club, so good to hear that's also an option. 🙂

Adjusting the playbook from the data analytics updates. Maximise that xG! 🙂

If he looks remotely like scoring in training, over Long and Broja, it would seem odd to lose a couple of million for every lost place in the table, just so we could save some money on his deal. Unless we're giving his old club a 5 odd million sum, and thought we'd take a chance with a view to offloading AA in the summer.

Osvaldoesque training ground bust up between him and JWP on day one. 🙂

It's a cunning plan, hiding all our best players until they're on long contracts with giant release clauses. Perhaps the lack of such clauses is why we've not seen AA. He's too good to risk other clubs seeing him. 🙂

Wow. I turned the radio off with 3 mins to go. I'd just had it on in the background. Grealish had just had a couple of efforts, and Madrid weren't doing much. Didn't see that coming at all.

Legend

They both should be better finishers. However, as someone posted, Broja seems to be happy to have next season mapped out and Armstrong has struggled, and there may be other things going on from issues settling to the club perhaps looking to move him on. All speculation above, but Long gives a consistent game, although not likely to have any goals in it. Ralph went with that option, along with Adams. A performance he could count on. I would still have still picked either of the other two, but I can understand why he went the way he did.

That would make sense considering what we've seen and the selection choices. I'd have thought moving on some would be hard due to wages, if nothing else. I guess we'll have to wait and see how successful it is at the start of next season.

Isn't that enough? He's sought after for interviews in football data analytics books too. 🙂 And Brentford have done well. They look to sell their best player each year. Tino's injury could either mean a no for a KWP move, or it's Valery, Perraud, Small, Vokins, Ramsay to pick from. JWP too.

Tale

Have we learned nothing from Germany vs Austria in the 1982 World Cup Finals?! although Germany did get the win, they both went through, got what they wanted and FIFA didn't punish them...okay, bad example... 🙂

Perfect timing for a winning Ralphball masterclass. They'll never expect it! I'm not sure some of us would expect it either. 🙂

Goon

Fruit

And scored/ game to give the xG even a little context...

For info, here's xG from that site, for each team, across the same number of seasons.

Ours, including this season.

Also while nosing, here's our last 6 year, going back to Puel's season, since that was being discussed on some threads.

I wonder who we'll get recommended, from a guy who would much rather be at his new employer? "I think that to really progress, we have to think right outside the box. Say hello to our former basketball playing defender and striker and our rugby playing midfield (Clive says hi, by the way.)" 🙂 (I'm confident that he will be profssional throughout. Besides, considering some of the deals that haven't worked at all in previous years, he'd have to work extra hard to be as poor.)